This poll is silly and an offensive waste of resources
but what the hell, throw hats in the air and prepare to get shafted by some sneaky manouvre by some faceless **** in the pay of an international software manufacturer

What this means is that things stay the same. The European Patent office continues to grant spurious patents, and it's up to member states to decide locally which ones they enforce. The whole idea of a common position was to unify the laws regarding patents across the EU, and for the moment that won't happen.

That's the reason there was such a huge majority - both pro and anti patent supporters wanted to kill it. The other option was to pass it and vote on each of the proposed ammendments, which was more risky. Binning the whole thing is a compromise, but one that favours open source much more than big business.

However, while the European Commission says it didn't plan to reintroduce this directive, eventually patent law will have to be unified across the EU somehow. As Rhakios so wisely says, we may see something similar in the future.

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What this means is that things stay the same. The European Patent office continues to grant spurious patents, and it's up to member states to decide locally which ones they enforce. The whole idea of a common position was to unify the laws regarding patents across the EU, and for the moment that won't happen.

That's the reason there was such a huge majority - both pro and anti patent supporters wanted to kill it. The other option was to pass it and vote on each of the proposed ammendments, which was more risky.
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Good point ... there always seems to be an angle somewhere and especially so in politics.

Sounds like the pro lobby may have been afraid of a vote currently

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However, while the European Commission says it didn't plan to reintroduce this directive, eventually patent law will have to be unified across the EU somehow.
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Politics often go for the "time" card. If you can drag it on for long enough, or stick a lid on it for a time ... eventually the public may just bored, or actually forget the whole thing ... an old trick.

Still ... good news for now, not only for the EU either. This side of the world will be strongly influenced by whatever happens over your way.